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252 The Stolen White Elephant"
he wants, and there ain't anything hid that he can't find." The dividing of the $50,000 made great pleasure; when it was finished the chief made a little speech while he put his share in his pocket, in which he said, " Enjoy it, boys, for you've earned it; and more than that you've earned for the detective profession undying fame.'"'
A telegram arrived, which read:
Monroe, Mich., 10 p.m.
First time I've struck a telegraph office in over three weeks. Have
followed those footprints, horseback, through the woods, a thousand miles
to here, and they get stronger and bigger and fresher every day. Don't
worry—inside of another week I'll have the elephant. This is dead sure.
Darley, Detective.
The chief ordered three cheers for ,4 Darley, one of the finest minds on the force," and then commanded that he be telegraphed to come home and receive his share of the reward.
So ended that marvelous episode of the stolen elephant. The newspapers were pleasant with praises once more, the next day, with one contemptible exception. This sheet said, "Great is the detective! He may be a little slow in finding a little thing like a mislaid elephant — he may hunt him all day and sleep with his rotting carcass all night for three weeks, but he will find him at last ■— if he can get the man who mislaid him to show him the place !"
Poor Hassan was lost to me forever. The cannon-shots had wounded him fatally, he had crept to that unfriendly place in the fog, and there, surrounded by his enemies and in constant danger of detection, he had wasted away with hunger and suffering till death gave him peace.
The compromise cost me $100,000; my detective expenses were $42,000 more; I never applied for a |
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